...an award-nominated Irish blog on Irish history and Irish politics-from today and yesterday:all 32 Counties !Updated a number of times each week . (Mirror site here)

" A wealth of information..."

"1169 And Counting is a wealth of information on our Republican past and present , and demonstrates how the Irish political landscape , like that of any nation, will never be a black and white issue..."

IRISH BLOG AWARDS 2017 - ooops! It seems that our entry application was "not completed in time to be considered.." (?) and, as such, we are not now in the running. But we wish all the best to the successful entrants and to the organisers, and we hope all goes well for them on the day!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

VOTE 'NO' to Lisbon Two!

"Ní hea, No, Nein, Non, Nyet, Nope, Not, No Means No ..."What part of that don't they understand ?

On Thursday , 12th June 2008 , a vote was held in this State on the Lisbon Constitution/Treaty : for months beforehand we were repeatedly told by the political 'establishment' in Leinster House that that what we were being asked to vote on was "non-negotiable" , that we had to vote on it as it then stood , that it was legally impossible to have anything removed from it or inserted into it. Now that same political 'establishment' are asking us to believe that not only was it possible to change that Treaty , but that they had managed to do so to the "benefit" of this State's position within the EU !

However - Czech prime minister Jan Fischer, who chaired a meeting on the supposed 'new Irish Lisbon Treaty' (as his country presently holds the EU presidency) was questioned(on Friday 19th June 2009) on these 'Irish changes' and dismissed them as nothing of the sort : "The protocol("changes") will clarify but not change either the content or the application of the treaty of Lisbon. It is an explanatory clarifying text which changes not a dot nor comma of the Lisbon Treaty."What has actually been 'achieved' by those idiots in Leinster House is a promise ("guarantee") from the bigger political fatcats in Brussels that , at some time in the future, they might look at making a few amendments to the way the Lisbon Two Treaty affects this State! And Brian Cowan and his equally useless cabal of semi-political misfits were never going to get "changes to the Lisbon Treaty" due to the fact that Poland , Holland , Austria , Sweden and Britain used their combined 'weight' to 'lean' on Brussels , stating that if the Irish were to be offered a new Treaty then they , too , would expect the same offer to be made to them - so a compromise was agreed : Brussels would allow Cowan to claim that a "new Treaty" for the Irish was on offer but , at the same time , made it clear to Cowan that what they were offering was a promise that , if passed this time, they would perhaps - at some future date - take a look at the manner in which the Treaty affected this State. And please have no doubt that that is all that is on offer here - a promise from corrupt millionaire politicians in Brussels that they will , someday , give a curious glance over their well-padded shoulder at the way their tax laws are effecting finances in this State.

"The meeting and dinner heard how Ireland’s “intellectual mediocrity and lack of political courage” led to the rejection of the Lisbon treaty and included discussions of how to “cuddle and pamper” the Irish voter ahead of a new vote while at the same time “making pressures on them”.(From here.)

This video gives an apt description of the type of morally and politically corrupt politician and system that are now demanding we vote 'the right way' on the already failed Lisbon Treaty. And this video shows what those bent career politicians stand to loose if we don't vote the way they want us to . As Republican Sinn Féin have stated - "The decision to re-run the referendum on the rejected Lisbon Treaty in the 26-Counties next October represents an attempt to subvert the sovereign will of the people.All kinds of pressure is being applied to those allowed to vote to ensure that they arrive at the result Brian Cowen and the EU 'élite' demand....."(From here.)Once again, this blog will be campaigning for a 'NO' vote on the Lisbon Treaty , for the same reasons : the "guarantees" which Brian Cowen has received have been given to him by similar unprincipled characters and , even if they were to be written in blood , would still be worthless .VOTE 'NO!' and help keep the lifts and corridors of the EU building free of more political rats , who scurry around trying to find the 'Sign In' book before they head back home to the political brothels they come from .Sharon.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Two cultures overlapping in the one space , getting in each other's way sometimes . We have the hospitals , the machines , the learning and the money . And the petitions , the men in uniforms and robes and the buildings with bars and barbed wire.Muscles flex , people get hurt . Some of the kids suck a 'solution' from the bottom of a plastic bag. [END of 'DUBLIN 1980 : THE GLUE SNIFFERS'](Next - 'THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY' , from 1986.)

The British Labour Party's 'roll of shame' was recited dolefully - Harold Wilson,Merlyn Rees,Michael Foot and the awful Roy Mason. Tom Kelly , Seamus Mallon's young personal assistant , saved a gloomy moment - " A hung parliament in Westminster with the Unionists holding the balance and (P) Sinn Féin holding the ring in Dublin . The worst possible picture , right ? But politics is the art of the possible. "That won a smile from the old hands.[END of 'HOPE IN THE SHADOWS'](Next - 'THE HOWARD MARKS AFFAIR' , from 1980.)

A BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS.......A look at issues raised by Liz Curtis' recent book. From 'IRIS' magazine, August 1984.Review by Trisha Fox.

Just occasionally , a programme slips through that portrays oddly favourable points of view in some respects , though they might not be the primary intent of the programme maker .

A Programme in the 'Real Lives' series entitled 'A' Company , directed by Paul Hamann, showed a group of ex-British soldiers revisiting Belfast ten years after their first tour of duty . While the programme was primarily a propaganda exercise for the Brits , insofar as it portrayed relatively 'liberal' and informed ex-soldiers who stoutly maintained that their role had been that of 'peace-keepers' between sectarian factions , there did emerge several images favourable to Irish republicans .

The most memorable of these occurs after British Army Colonel David Hancock (see 'The Military Wing Of Unionism', here) is seen visiting a community leader , Frank Cahill, in Ballymurphy , whom he had first met while stationed in the area years earlier . Later , summing up his overall impressions , Hancock refers to his meeting with Frank Cahill : " The thing I shall remember is the dedication of the republican we saw this afternoon . No wavering after fifteen years of conflict on the streets . The same aims , same intentions , same dedication . It is foolish to plan a solution without taking a factor like that into consideration. " (MORE LATER).

Monday, June 15, 2009

WOLFE TONE COMMEMORATION 2009 : brief report and a few photographs.

Between eight hundred and one thousand Irish Republicans gathered , as we do each year , in Sallins Village on Sunday June 14th last and marched in a well-organised fashion to the grave of Wolfe Tone , in Bodenstown Graveyard . The procession was led by uniformed members of Cumann na mBan , Na Fianna Eireann and an RSF Colour Party , and was very well received along the route by locals. The Thomas DavisPipe Band from Cork , an extremely well-turned out and professional group , marched to and from the graveyard, never once missing a beat or a note as they done so. The proceedings were professionaly Chaired by Dan Hoban, Mayo, Peig Galligan(a walking encyclopedia of Irish Republicanism!) delivered a very fitting and respectful talk on the history of Wolfe Tone and those who supported the man and his objectives and Fermanagh Republican John Joe McCusker delivered a rousing oration , which was received with loud cheers by the large crowd gathered around the graveyard.There was , as usual , a great 'buzz' and atmosphere about the whole day - even the harassment doled out by the nine members of the State political police couldn't ruin the day , try as they might. Their repeated interruptions were brushed aside and ignored by the large crowd , members of whom openly sneered at them and pushed back when attempts were made by these cretins to detain them. Overall , the whole event went as planned and was an honourable tribute to one of our Founding Fathers - Republican Sinn Féin are to be congratulated for organising this Commemoration , as are those who made the effort to attend. Well done to us all!We publish with this brief report a couple of photo's from the day , and a link to where more of the same can be viewed -

Members of Cumann na mBan and Na Fianna Éireann in Bodenstown , 14th June 2009.